A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of towels and fabrics, more specifically, a terry cloth fabric that has been impregnated with a rubber substrate on a single side in order to provide traction upon smooth surfaces.
Terry cloth-styled fabrics are ideal for drying moisture from a surface, whether it is skin or some other material. Moreover, terry cloths are commonly used in beach towels or bath towels in order to dry off an end user as needed. However, a terry cloth can pose a hazard when placed upon a smooth surface. This is especially true when lying a terry cloth upon a fiberglass surface of a boat. Often, the terry cloth will slide when lying upon said smooth surface, which can result in slippage to an end user.
There have been many attempts to treat terry cloth type fabrics with a rubber treatment in order to provide traction when placed upon smooth surfaces. However, these attempts often lack a terry cloth that has a rubber solution impregnated on only one side of the terry cloth. Moreover, treating a terry cloth with a rubber solution often leaves the individual loops flattened and essentially encased within a thick layer of rubber. The method of application and tool used of the present application seeks to overcome the shortcomings of rubber-coated terry cloths of yore.
B. Discussion of the Prior Art
As will be discussed immediately below, no prior art discloses a terry cloth-styled towel that has been impregnated with a rubber substrate upon a side via a tool and method of application, which provides the towel with a slip-free texture that is ideal for use with smooth surfaces; wherein the tool is a roller that has a plurality of spur members that are equally spaced along said roller; wherein each spur member is further defined as a disc with a plurality of fingers that extend laterally to opposing sides of the spur member; wherein the spur members are ideal for applying a liquid rubber solution of certain viscosity into the terry cloth-styled towel such that the individual loops comprising the terry cloth-styled towel are vertically oriented and coated with the rubber substrate without saturating the base of the terry cloth.
The Stoffo Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,943) discloses a fabric member impregnated with non-slip material that is attached in layered fashion to a terry-cloth towel. However, the fabric member is not treated with a liquid rubber forming a rubber substrate via a tool and method of application provided therein.
The Edwards Patent Application Publication (U.S. Pub. No. 2005/0192158) discloses a yoga mat made from fibers embedded with rubber. However, the yoga mat is not treated with a rubber solution via a tool and method of application forming a rubber substrate.
The Kerley Patent Application Publication (U.S. Pub. No. 2006/0288477) discloses a foot towel consisting of a base portion that is made of rubber and a top portion, which is a towel. However, the towel is not coated with a rubber substrate via the method and tool of the present application.
The Lerner Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,788,733) discloses a rubber glove having a towel on the palmer surface. Again, there is no tool specific to application of a rubber solution onto a terry-cloth styled fabric or towel that generates the rubber substrate therein.
The Hosfeld Patent Application Publication (U.S. Pub. No. 2008/0104807) discloses a towel for use on the deck of a boat. Again, there is no tool specific to application of a rubber solution onto a terry-cloth styled fabric or towel that generates the rubber substrate therein.
The France Patent (U.S. Patent No. Des. 600,487) illustrates an ornamental design for a beach towel, which does not teach a tool for application of a rubber solution into the individual loops comprising a terry-cloth styled fabric or towel.
While the above-described devices fulfill their respective and particular objects and requirements, they do not describe a terry cloth-styled towel that has been impregnated with a rubber substrate upon a side via a tool and method of application, which provides the towel with a slip-free texture that is ideal for use with smooth surfaces; wherein the tool is a roller that has a plurality of spur members that are equally spaced along said roller; wherein each spur member is further defined as a disc with a plurality of fingers that extend laterally to opposing sides of the spur member; wherein the spur members are ideal for applying a liquid rubber solution of certain viscosity into the terry cloth-styled towel such that the individual loops comprising the terry cloth-styled towel are vertically oriented and coated with the rubber substrate without saturating the base of the terry cloth. In this regard, the terry cloth with impregnated rubber substrate and tool for application thereon departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art.